The Titan’s lids twitched in irritation. ’So, all that was said is for naught?’
Even Levi shook his head in rejection, not too satisfied with the ending... in their minds, if Nocturn detected the glitch, then it was the same as the system finding out. In turn, Levi and the Genie were dead meat.
But then, Ash’Kral gave out a weird chuckle.
’Old Bark... did you already forget what kind of person Nocturn is?’
’Hmmm?’
The Titan frowned for a moment, his memories still fuzzy about his previous life before the war... he barely remembered most of the things related to him; how could he remember everyone else’s quirks?
Seeing his confusion, Ash’Kral shook his head and said with an assured tone, ’Levi, you don’t need to worry about Nocturn personally... your biggest concern is the System, and always, the System. Even if it is created and named after him, the System responds to the Administration as a whole, which is under the authority of...’
Before he could finish his sentence, Levi uttered with a cold tone, ’Nocturn, the Radians/Oblivars, and the two Primordial Trees of Life/Death.’
’Bingo.’
Levi had no idea why Ash’Kral vouched for Nocturn’s lack of interference if he found out what he did... but he was assured of one thing.
Nocturn had almost no interaction with the network, the platforms, or the public... he was as mysterious as ever, and despite everything that happened throughout the platforms’ lifespan, no one had ever seen him lift a finger for any issue... at least, publicly.
Still, Levi had his doubts.
’How are you so sure he won’t reach out to me or rat me out?’ Levi frowned.
Ash’Kral chuckled, finding the question a little amusing...
’If Nocturn is the only one to find out, then... You can continue your life without an issue.’ Ash’Kral smirked, ’After all... everything he did is nothing more than a business transaction.’
’Business transaction?’
Levi raised a brow, realizing that Nocturn’s relationship with the Primordial Trees might not be as ’intimate’ as he had assumed... it wasn’t just him; everyone believed that Nocturn and the Primordial Trees shared the same bed.
’Nocturn might be working together with the Primordial Trees and their followers to structure their conflict, but it is still a mere business transaction born out of a contract.’ Ash’Kral shared, ’He is very much on his own... if your situation attracted his attention, the most he will do is chuckle in amusement and ignore it. Entities’ attention at his level isn’t easily stolen... even if it were freeing an Omnithar Genie.’
’And yet... You decided to withhold such information? What? You find joy in making me look like a fool?’
Levi knitted his brows coldly; his Sun’s persona was as dominant as ever... earlier, Levi decided to avoid freeing the Genie in the Boundless Expanse in fear of being under Nocturn’s eye.
But, if everything he said turned out to be correct, then freeing the Genie in the Boundless Expanse was the same as doing it in the Chained Universe... even the Golden Bracelet and Collar wouldn’t cause them much trouble, as they all knew that their purpose was to punish the Genies if they stepped out of line.
The Nocturn’s System was the one with actual authority and would rat them out instantly if discovered.
Ash’Kral heard Levi and the Titan talk about it before... yet, he remained silent, like always.
’There was no point discussing it at the time...’ Ash’Kral shrugged, unbothered by Levi’s tone, ’I had to see if the Genie has an actual plan or is just wasting our time.’
As usual, Ash’Kral never disclosed anything unless the information had a purpose to serve... whether Levi liked it or not, he couldn’t care less.
Understanding that arguing with him was nothing but a waste of spit, Levi switched his focus back to the Genie.
’If we went for this, you would be a ghost,’ Levi said with an indifferent tone as he restarted playing the melody, ’You would be hidden from everyone, but you would be tied to me for the rest of time... how is that freedom? It’s nothing more than another form of slavery.’
His pride refused to have him accept a slave under his will just because it felt like it had no other choice... whether it was an Omnithar Genie or an Ancestral Tree, The Sun accepted followers, not slaves.
The Omnithar Genie remained quiet for a few moments... its obsidian mirror-like mask displayed a perfect reflection of Levi’s burning form. It had no eyes and yet... it seemed like it could see far beyond the surface.
It understood Levi’s implications... if he were to bring it with him, he expected nothing less than absolute loyalty. Omnithar Genie or not, it would become his follower, and he would accept it only if it willingly agreed to it.
Still... the Omnithar nodded its huge head once, giving its approval.
Then, it sent a long mixture of emotional wavelengths that translated into the longest and clearest sentence it had ever said:
<The System gave me eternity without meaning... Anything else is freedom. Let the inscriptions be my vow; I am yours... by choice.>
Then, it finished it off with a soft, genuine release of wishful hope... Levi didn’t need to translate this emotion. Its meaning was as clear as fresh-fallen snow.
<Grant me release, I beg of you...>
"Say no more..."
Levi retracted the bow from the violin and rested its bottom on the ground... then, he summoned the Lantern of the Lost Keeper and lifted it in front of the Genie.
Usually, Levi would still think things through over and over again until all angles had been studied... he was like that, too analytical.
But in his Sun Form?
"The Sun does not reject those with the resolve to follow its light," Levi declared, his voice ringing with a charismatic, unshakable pride.
He raised his hand toward the massive entity, and with the absolute authority of a deity, he uttered his wish:
"I wish for the Omnithar Genie to be stripped of its physical constraints and transformed into conceptual Iithorien Inscriptions... Let its essence merge with the Lantern of the Lost Keeper’s technique, binding its existence... forever."
Without an ounce of hesitation, the Omnithar Genie accepted the wish as it was... then, its massive, starry figure began to blur and soften, turning into a thick cloud of prismatic mist.
The mist didn’t stay as a cloud for long... it began to spin and sharpen into glowing threads of light. These threads formed millions of ancient symbols... the Iithorien Inscriptions!
The millions of ancient symbols vibrated with intense power as they began to spiral toward the Lantern.
However, the process was far from smooth; the golden chains and collar gleamed with sudden force.
They lashed out, sending immense waves of agony through the mist to force the Genie’s form to stay affixed as one!
It was so bad that the Iithorien Inscriptions appeared to lose their form, breaking back to mist... yet, the Genie fought through the agony and stuck to delivering the wish!
"You dare interfere with my decree? You presume to wield my own power against my will? Such insolence!"